


too high-strung for your own good

by sweesbees



Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: (with a little bit of Depression Angst™), Drug Use, Fluff without Plot, Multi, Mystery disappears halfway through woops, Recreational Drug Use, no beta we die like nonbinary persons, vivi teaches this universe’s shaggy how to smoke weed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:47:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27510067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweesbees/pseuds/sweesbees
Summary: There’s no better way to de-stress than chilling with your friends in the back of a van. But sharing some grass doesn’t hurt.
Relationships: Arthur/Lewis/Vivi (Mystery Skulls Animated)
Kudos: 18





	too high-strung for your own good

**Author's Note:**

> this is like the second fic in a row i’ve written about characters using drugs oh god what’s going on
> 
> also i’ve got this headcanon that vivi is the stoner of the group and no one can argue otherwise

The breeze of a chilly November afternoon turned to a bite as the sun made its gradual retreat towards the west. The clouds streamed over the sky, bathing the world below in washed out greys. No one had to offer anything to the world, for it had nothing to give. It was just a normal, albeit slightly dreary, afternoon. 

On the outskirts of some town (the name bore little importance) there had been a van pulled over in a nearby parking lot for a rest. The brilliant orange of the exterior was dulled in the sleepy clouds of the sky, and the van itself seemed to take to its surroundings. It would not move for a while. And inside the van, the passengers seemed just as ready to relax.

The canine sitting on the front seats yipped in delight, and a soft, mellow chuckle followed as Arthur ran his hand over his head. He even gave little Mystery a tickle under the ears, coaxing fur just gently enough for an affirmative whine. These were some of the more peaceful moments, compared to the complete chaos he had been roped into. The job of the paranormal investigator was a demanding one, and if his fellow investigators heeded the call, he would have to fall in line.

Lewis and Vivi, the other members of the Mystery Skulls investigation gang, were some of the best in the business. Or at least they were in Arthur’s eyes. Always eager, always intrepid, the two of them would lead the charge on their foray into the unknown. And there Arthur was, the perpetual tag-along. If Lewis and Vivi were the best in the business, then Arthur had no business being in the business to begin with. 

Arthur had always considered himself a walking proponent of Murphy’s law. Anything that can go wrong, _will_ go wrong. Him being in the picture just brought it home to roost. By far, his largest embarrassment came one particular expedition on the date of April 30th: Walpurgis Night. There was word that a long rumoured cult would try and summon devils in the town square. By the time the members came in a circle and started to chant, Arthur’s panic attack prompted the gang to pull out and leave the area, effectively abandoning the investigation. That night was full of reassurances from both of his close friends that it was not his fault, and that his job could be stressful, but he didn’t want to hear it. It was their biggest failure, and he alone was responsible for it.

Months had passed, and he still thought about it. Every time he wanted to flee from a site, his legs would lock in place, telling him that he had to prove his courage, no matter what fear would end up plaguing him. If he just could not handle it and he had to leave, his brain would put him through hell. The worst parts came after it all, when Lewis and Vivi’s words would run through the translator of self-loathing. There was nothing he could do to argue it. All evidence pointed to his overactive superego knowing what was right and what was wrong.

All he would hear was how wrong he was. 

But those were the worst of the worst. On most days, his inner voice would be making only piddling complaints and Arthur would tune it out when he was with the rest of the Mystery Skulls gang. Even when he encountered creepy crawlies and ghastly ghouls that would send him shooting in the air out of shock, he would find a way to laugh about it once the investigation was complete and the tension was down low. And Lewis and Vivi, dear as they were, would join in on the laughter as they all rode the wave of relief and pride over a job well done. 

Those were the best days. Now Arthur was left balancing sides of a very precise equation on whether the best of times outweighed those nights where he felt stressed to high heaven, how little there were.

Lewis was out for now, being sent by Vivi to run some errands for the van only a few minutes ago. Meanwhile, she had a few manila folders in front of her, as well as some scissors, highlighters, and today’s newspaper. There were some clues one could gleam that were left off of cyberspace, after all. As Vivi reached somewhere out of Arthur’s view, she pulled out a small bag and what looked like a tin and placed them to her side.

It was no secret that Vivi smoked herb. On late nights when she was working alone, the smell would get under Arthur’s nose while he tried to rest on the seats with Mystery. There were also times when he would be working on the van. He would see smoke billowing from the windows while Vivi and Lewis were inside the van. And like an idiot, he worked on the undercarriage, knowing full well that soon the whole van would bounce up and down with the two of them throwing their weight around.

It never occurred to him to ask her about it. He just felt like it was none of his business.

The blue-haired girl started to hum to herself as she flipped through the newspaper, highlighter in hand. She glanced from tiny bag to article to bag. The paper slowly dropped in her hands as she stared silently. Arthur hummed a bit in confusion while watching her deliberations, which got her to stop and turn her head around slowly. He shot up straight, feeling like an idiot for interrupting her.

“Hmm? D’you need something, Arthur?” Vivi asked. A smile left her face, but it took on an expression of confusion rather than a more alarming expression like annoyance.

“Um, not particularly. I was just wondering if you, uh, needed help on those folders,” Arthur replied. He wasn’t exactly lying, but his true intention was hidden under a blanket of hoping to ease Vivi’s workload. 

Vivi looked away for just a moment, finger pressed to her lip in consideration as she glanced over the scattered papers.

“Actually, yeah!” Vivi piped up, turning her head to face the front. “If you come back here you can help me cut out some choice articles and put them in the folder.”

Arthur muttered to himself for a bit, wondering what the next course of action would be. Maybe it would be easier for both of them if he just hopped over the seats and into the back of the van. He swung his left leg up over the back of the seat, causing Vivi to jump.

“No! Don’t do that- Just-” Vivi sighed heavily, feeling like a fool for not expecting this outcome. “Come on in around the back.” 

As Arthur dejectedly got up from his seat, Vivi started to let out a little laugh that he heard before he closed the front door. In the time it took Arthur to get out of the van and open the back doors wide open, Vivi had set up her work station with all the necessary stationery.

“Alright,” she started, holding up one of the newspapers. “I’m going to circle or highlight any information I find in here, and then I’ll hand it to you for you to cut out and put in the folder. I’ve already gotten started with this right here.” On the front page, towards the bottom of the sheet, were a few paragraphs highlighted within an article about the recent mayoral election. 

Arthur pulled the back doors, leaving one of them open for fresh air to circulate within the van. As Vivi was piling newspapers on her left, he scrambled over to pick up the papers in one hand and scissors in the other. Already, he took the scissors and started the process of sloppily cutting through paper. Unsure of what superfluous details to leave out, he cut the whole bottom article out and slid the paper on the shorter side under the paperclip within the folder. The noise of scissors slicing through paper fell under Vivi’s murmuring as she scrutinised the paper, looking for details that anyone without eagle eyes would miss.

All the while, the tiny bag of herb and the tin sitting to the right of him caught his eye. Vivi would hand him more bits of newspaper, and he would look down at the articles, trying to scan for markings rather than actually inspecting and concentrating on the content. The headlines and bolded text spelled out various things: a new wing of the museum opening, mysterious disappearances, even a few editorial letters expressing indignation over something. Arthur just had to cut them up and pin them under the paperclip which stretched out more and more. 

Arthur was in a rhythm, but there was no denying it any longer. He would have to ask Vivi about it, or he would not be able to concentrate on anything.

“Vi… um, about that…. stuff…” he uttered, gesturing towards the space between the two of them. No matter how much curiosity he had about trying it, he still could not even spit it out.

“The pot?” Vivi responded immediately, her fingers brushing over the packet. 

“Y- yeah. I… Yeuhm- Well I see you using it quite a lot when we don’t have anything to do. I just- Well-” He swallowed and looked down at the imposing packet, focusing on the contents. His eyes darted to Vivi with such speed she swore his eyes were moving in picoseconds. “Is it any good?”

“Why, did you want to try some?” 

_Right away._ There was no hesitation, not a flinch within Vivi’s words. For all he knew, he probably could not have been any more obvious. He tried to bring his queries in the Trojan horse, and she could already sense the soldiers hiding inside.

Thinking about this, Arthur’s mind raced. Did he really want to try it? Vivi eased up considerably after a hit, and he wanted to feel that peace with the world that she did when under the influence. But maybe that was just her. Maybe his neuroses wouldn’t let him let go. Maybe his inner voice would yell and scream, wondering just what he was taking into his body. But for all the horrible outcomes, he had evidence of Vivi, free of stress and blazed to high heaven. 

It was worth a try, at the very least.

“Y- well- I- Um I mean-” Arthur’s words were failing him until he squeezed his knee and shot up. “Of course, Vivi! Well, as long as you’re done here,” he quipped, gesturing to the folder in front of his feet. The paperclip was relatively stuffed with newspaper clippings, and the documents within the folder itself were quite numerous. 

Vivi took the folder and closed it, feeling how it had increased in bulk. “I suppose we’re done for today.” She dropped the folder in front of the shelves, unconcerned with whether or not it was actually out of the way. Fortunately, she was more concerned with putting the stationery and chopped up newspaper in its proper places. Once it was all clear, she reached for something and came back to sit where she had before, her legs outstretched.

In her hands, Vivi held a device that had a plain rectangular shape to it. Arthur’s first thought was USB drive, but this was not the case. “This is what we’ll be smoking out of,” Vivi said, showing Arthur the vaporizer before placing it down beside the other supplies. While Vivi took the bag and the tin, Arthur stared at the device. His fingers twitched, wanting to move towards the vaporizer and inspect it. From what he could see, there was nothing on it to suggest that this would even be useful to smoke with. To him, it looked like a dark black object with some small lights on the front. Its inconspicuous appearance must have proved to be useful, should any inspection take place and Vivi could feign ignorance as to its true purpose.

With methodical grace, Vivi packed some of the clumps of herbs into the small metal tin to grind them down. As she closed the top and twisted it, she made it look like second nature. Every twist ground it down until she opened the top and showed Arthur the finer grind. The weed sat within the tin, looking like some strange trimmings. It was at this point when he knew that there was no going back now. He was going to sit in the back of the van with Vivi, and get high.

Arthur watched intently as Vivi removed the bottom of the vaporizer and packed it with pot, putting in what would surely be enough for both of them. A snap of the lid closed up the chamber, and a press of the button on the top caused the device to light up. While Vivi held it in her hand, Arthur watched as the lights cycled in a formation to indicate the oven slowly baking its contents, warming it up to optimal temperature.

For thirty seconds, the two of them watched the cycle until the lights turned green. Ready to use. Vivi looked at Arthur and gave him a grin as if to say _this is what you wanted_. 

“How about you take the first hit?” Vivi asked, but her question was less of a question and more of a command as she changed hands with the vaporizer to put it in Arthur’s possession. This caught him off guard, and he fumbled for just a moment before he got a good hold of it. Vivi rested her forearm on her pulled up knee and just watched her friend with intense curiosity.

Prickles ran through his fingertips as they pressed harder on the vaporizer. He wanted it locked in place, so he did not drop it. All of his sight was locked onto the very top of the object, where the mouthpiece was. The vaporizer was warm in his hand, warm with the heat from cooking the herbs within its chamber. His mouth went dry and his stomach roiled over, unsure of what to even expect. Shutting his eyes tight, he leaned down, emptied his lungs, and placed his lips around the mouthpiece, ready to suck it all in.

Arthur arched his back as he pulled the smoke into his throat. The taste of earth and grass ran along his tongue, and the warmth of it all filled his mouth, but all he was registering was the amount of smoke he was taking into his lungs. The balloons in his chest filled rapidly, getting cloudy with a heavy vapor. It tickled just so. The tickle turned into a burning irritation in his chest, and he opened his eyes in a panic, coughing up the exhaled mess of air into obscuring clouds.

“Oh my God!” Vivi cried, waving her hands at him. “Okay, next time, don’t gulp it all down. You have to breathe it in and hold it in your lungs, like so.” She took the vape from Arthur’s hands as he was distracted by trying to get his breathing back in order. After a quick check, Vivi confirmed that it was still working, and she placed the mouthpiece to her lips and breathed in. Arthur mentally counted the seconds and watched as her torso filled out. And then, she sat there with small billowing wisps of smoke coming out from between her lips. A few seconds passed, and then she finally exhaled, leaving more earthy-scented clouds in the air.

“See? Now you try!” Vivi passed the vaporizer back to Arthur, who took it and studied it again. It really was as simple as she said, right? 

_Empty your lungs, lips around the mouthpiece, suck._ He calmed his nerves as he gradually took smoke into his body. Past the lungs, he could feel his whole body pull in more and more and more, until he could take in no more breath. This time, he had gently taken it all in, and now he had an easier time holding all the smoke within his frame.

 _1, 2, 3. Exhale._ Arthur’s eyes rolled open, glancing over at Vivi with an expression of contentment. “I got it, right?” he said, chuckling as more smoke came out of his mouth.

Vivi giggled, giving him a smile. “Y, yeah. You got it.” 

After looking at the vaporizer again, Arthur put it back to his mouth and inhaled in, imagining his whole body becoming the balloon. The trick was to fill it just enough before it popped. The thick smoke poured in through the mouth, pooling at the bottom and stretching him out. Slow and steady was the way to go, as he felt the warm smoke cling to his windpipe. Out and out, growing bigger and bigger, he felt himself reach the very edge of his limits before holding it in and letting the herbs infiltrate his system. Then as his lips parted, he could see nothing but smoke for several seconds until his breath was clear again. 

He let the vaporizer drop just so from his hands as he leaned against the back of the seat. Already, his arms felt heavier, and his head rolled on his neck towards his friend. “How much more should I smoke before I start feeling the effects?” he questioned.

Vivi took the vaporizer from him. “Shouldn’t be too much. Maybe just sit with that for a while and see how you feel.” She shuffled back against the seat and took in another hit, doing it in the way that was common for her. 

Arthur’s eyelids slid over his now glazed over eyes. Every second, the capillaries in his eyes opened more to the point where the red showed up in his eyes, giving them a bloodshot appearance. His vision rolled up to the ceiling of the van. Was it always that grody? He swore he could see some moisture in the roof. Or maybe it was some other kind of stain that they never bothered to clean. Why would they even clean the ceiling? It was such an inconsequential area. Thinking about this made Arthur’s brain hurt, so he drooped over, his arms hanging like a ragdoll. 

“Vivi, I don’t know if I should be feeling something. Should I be feeling something?” Arthur asked out of nowhere, his voice sounding like it came from a mile away. 

Vivi gave a quick glance over at him, studying him behind her spectacles. She gave her answer, as if she was a practitioner who had seen cases like Arthur’s before. “You should be feeling something, alright.”

And there it was. It sent him into a series of muffled snorts before guffawing. He slapped his knee and stretched his back out, his head pushing against the back of the seats. Whatever it was that tickled his funny bone, he had no idea! Vivi just said something and it hit him in just the right way. 

With a knowing chuckle, Vivi gave Arthur the kindest eyes with the most tender and loving smile she could muster. Speaking as if she was someone who lost all faith in him, her voice was in a tone with all the grace of ‘bless your heart’. She said to Arthur, “Yeah. You’re high.”

Oh God. Arthur couldn’t even register whether he’s even proud of this. He’s too busy laughing over absolutely nothing. He pounded his fist over and over on the floor, covering his eyes with his arms and curling up. Shudders and wheezes came out of his mouth, and as his body buckled, he felt like it was moving in sections and not all at once. Tears ran from his eyes, and he tried in vain to catch his breath before his lungs gave out.

“What- I…!” There were no thoughts in Arthur’s brain that could connect to the situation and form a refutation. Vivi was right in all respects, but he did not want her to be right. He swallowed the saliva in his mouth and licked his lips, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. “Uh… well, uh,” he started, trying to find the right words. “.....Shut up.”

Vivi’s voice hitched with a small chuckle. “Wow, you sure showed me.” She shuffled on her seat, moving closer into Arthur whose body dropped forward just so. In curiosity, her eyes scanned over the normally twitchy mechanic. His limbs were no longer being held up and his shoulders were released from tension. Even his spine was rolling over. She hoped that all of these things were good signs.

“So… how are we feeling?” Vivi trilled, putting a hand to his shoulder to try and keep him somewhat upright.

“I feel……” Arthur had to stop and think. How did he feel? Maybe it was best to let his thoughts tumble out of his mouth without stopping at the brain for refinement. “Mmmmmmmm I feel like… I feel good. I feel… I feel great. I feel like……… nothing ever before, really! I just…. it’s so nice here,” he slurred, dropping his head to lean on Vivi’s shoulder. When he felt his forehead touch her, he couldn’t hide his smile as she moved in close to him.

Vivi ran her fingers through Arthur’s hair, which was rather coarse but still quite soft. An affirmative sigh left his mouth. “That’s good. That’s…. wonderful.” Arthur turned his attention to the scattered manila folders at the base of the shelves. Oh shit, there was something to do here, some reason why they had stopped at this location in the middle of nowhere. He thought about what was around the corner. 

Before the road trip to God knows where, Vivi ran both him and Lewis through the information handed to her by the locals. According to her, they all said something about some strange paranormal creature prowling around the town hall at night. There was something to do with an election, but Arthur was never good at pinning down details. Now that his brain was addled, he could barely recall a thing. 

It was this spottiness within Arthur’s mind that made it hard to conjure just what they were about to tangle with. It could have been something that his waking mind was unfamiliar with, but lurked within the worst of the nightmares that grabbed him. He got petrified around phantoms, scared around skeletons, and intimidated by the indeterminable. Whatever could be making townspeople disappear shook him deep down. If anything, he had the gut feeling that Vivi reassured him that the idea of demonic possession was far from the cause before striking it from the list.

Was that even true? Or was Vivi just trying to make him feel better?

Ever since that fateful Walpurgis Night, he could never be sure. 

This was too much thinking. He needed another hit so that he didn’t have to think any longer. But as his fingers tried to reach for where the vaporizer could have gone to, he could feel nothing. Jesus Christ, he better not have lost it. He lifted his head, fingers pressed to the ground to try and sense the vaporizer by touch alone.

“Hey Arthur~” a voice called from just beside him, or somewhere further away from him. “Think fast and breathe deep,” it commanded, in a tone too familiar. In surprise, Arthur lifted his head and turned it towards Vivi, just to catch her sucking in some smoke from the vaporizer before she pressed her lips to his. 

Ki- Vivi was kissing him! The blood rushed to his cheeks in waves. Arthur had a slight inkling that both Vivi and Lewis had flirted with him on some occasions. They told him often that their relationship was more open than most, but he would usually miss their signals because it never occurred to him that they could have _actually_ been into him. And yet, it was so sudden he could register nothing but what was in front of him and on his lips.

Arthur felt his mouth being pried open by Vivi’s tongue, which was pushing against his teeth to try and coax his mouth open. The familiar taste of earthy smoke seeped into his mouth, as her mouth opened against his own. The smoke sat in his mouth as he felt her breathe it into his gaping maw. There was nowhere for it to really go, so he sucked it down into his lungs, feeling the warm welcome of the smoke and the taste of Vivi on his tongue all at once.

Upon a shocked and hasty exhale, Arthur stared at her with surprise. His red eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, and she gave a giggle as he gazed in confusion.

“Great! I just shot-gunned you!” she cried, pumping her fist in triumph. Every part of Arthur’s face was red, and his mouth gaped open before he mumbled dumbly. 

“You see,” Vivi said, dropping down to a sitting position from her kneeling position before. “If you take some weed into your mouth, you can breathe it into someone else’s mouth so they can breathe the same smoke you did. That’s what shot-gunning is! I’ve tried it with Lewis quite a few times, and he finds it all quite strange, but he likes it quite fine,” she explained with the peppering of anecdotal evidence to its success as if she was selling Arthur on the merits of the activity.

A small fire burned in Arthur’s chest, like a tiny oven light. What was he supposed to think of this? The kiss itself was wonderful, he could not deny. He also could not deny there was a little thrill of swapping smoke between two sets of lungs. And as long as Vivi could reassure him that it was all fine and there was no reason to be jealous- even though Lewis never seemed like the jealous type- it would be alright. 

Arthur took the vaporizer again, his face flushed with heat. “I- Would it be cool if I tried to shot-gun you?” Arthur’s voice rumbled in his mouth, the words coming out in a slurred jumbled mess. Vivi cocked her head a little, and blinked.

“What was that?” she asked, needing a moment to process what he said.

“I uh-”

“Did you want to try and shot-gun me this time?” Arthur shot up straight. Damn, was she always this good at reading minds? Or was he just that easy to read?

“Yea… yeah.” Arthur’s hands grew clammy around the vaporizer, and he held it just inches from his open mouth. Vivi smoothed a stray hair behind her ear and gave him an encouraging look. 

“Okay, so what you want to do is breathe it in and keep it in your mouth. Then once you’re ready, press your lips against mine, and when our mouths are open, blow the smoke into my mouth.” Arthur nodded in response, his hand tightening around the vaporizer. His mind would normally be shouting at him, telling him this was a dumb idea, but his brain mellowed out any voices telling him no. There was clear consent, and he knew, deep down, it would all be okay. 

Lips around the mouthpiece, Arthur took in the biggest breath of his life and arched his tongue to keep the smoke in his mouth. When he was content that there was enough, he knew he would have to move quickly before what was in his mouth seeped through the gap in his lips. He placed his hand behind Vivi’s head and turned his head towards it. Vivi responded by enthusiastically whipping her head around to meet his, but she made sure to stop before risking a collision.

Vivi’s lips parted, and Arthur went in, forming the seal between two mouths. There was something soft about her lips. He could feel the faint stickiness of her lip gloss, flavoured with berries. His eyelids fluttered, and he melted as her lips mushed up to his. He could not help but let out a moan, exhaling as he did. That was when it hit him. He had to get the smoke into her lungs, so he blew harder, emptying his lungs into her mouth. Vivi’s lips closed around his, and he knew it was time to pull away and let her enjoy the combined oxygen from both of their systems.

Rolling his spine back up, Arthur felt his smile stretch from each cheek. He watched as Vivi let go bit by bit with the smoke rolling out of her mouth. She had a style, for sure. It made him wonder just how much control she had over her breath, and how familiar she was with smoking herb. It made him wonder just what got her into it.

Vivi flashed her teeth at Arthur, giving a huge smile. “See? Now you know how to shot-gun weed! Don’t say I never taught you anything, Artie.” For some reason, this got him to laugh again, sputtering a bit as he did. 

“Artie? What are you _on_ , Vivi?” he asked her incredulously, which started her laughing.

“You know full fucking _well_ what I’m on! I’m smoking it right now!” Vivi crowed, pushing her back against the front seats, stretching her legs out. “The things you say, oh my God…” she mumbled.

“I didn’t mean it literally!” Arthur cried, his voice cracking under the strain of trying to be heard in between laughs. “ _You_ were the one who thought I was being literal here!” Arthur had no idea that he was even shouting, but Vivi seemed to notice, as her voice only got louder in response.

“I have no idea what we’re arguing about anymore! Just admit you’re high and we can get on with our lives!” Vivi gave Arthur a push again, to which Arthur responded in kind. The two of them kept pushing each other until their hands locked and they pushed against each other. They tried to match strength, as both of them had quite a bit of muscle strength despite their unassuming appearances. But through sheer lack of coordination on Arthur’s part, Vivi got the upper hand and managed to pin Arthur to the floor of the van. She crawled over top of him, keeping him locked under her shadow.

“Do you know what happens next?” Vivi grinned evilly, staring down at her spiky haired prey.

“N…. No,” Arthur said, his face contorting with terror.

In no time at all, Vivi reached under his arms and worked her fingers into the armpits which were exposed by his arms lying outstretched. As soon as she tapped her fingers and rubbed the skin, Arthur’s arms immediately clamped down on Vivi’s fingers. The strangled shriek that Arthur let out shook the van, until it gave way to ear piercing laughter that sounded more like tortured cries than amused laughter.

“Stop! No! You know how- Ah!! How ticklish I am!!” Arthur hollered, his upper arms locked rigidly to his sides as he tried to reach for Vivi with his compromised reach. 

“Don’t care~” Vivi chuckled, her voice dark with mischief. Her fingers scratched at his armpits more. She kept her left hand working his underarms while her right hand ran down his body, trying to find the magic spot over the sound of Arthur screaming bloody murder beneath her. There was a patch of skin revealed by his shirt that rolled up over his hips, revealing a bare patch on his belly. She ran her fingers under the shirt just slightly and reached for the one area on the side of his body, just below the ribs, that was somehow more sensitive than any area on his body.

Then she ran her fingers over it.

 _“Fuck!!!"_ Arthur screamed, his voice tearing up his throat with how high pitched and loud it was. “I give up! Vivi! Please!” He slammed his fist over and over with the arm that was not being tickled from the pit. Tears ran from his eyes as his body shook with pained laughter. 

“Just say you’re high and I’ll stop.” Vivi’s voice came in chilled and icy, even though her eyes were smiling and she was close to losing her composure herself.

“Fine! I’m high! I’m high! Stop now!” Arthur tried to roll away from her grasp.

Vivi let out a chuckle, thoroughly amused by his display. “You’re free to go,” she said, her voice rumbling with snickers.

Poor Arthur was left to catch his breath after what happened. His mind was racing everywhere. Somehow, everything felt far more intense than it should be, but in the back of his mind, he enjoyed it. Maybe if he wasn’t so ticklish, he would enjoy Vivi tickling him into submission much more. As he caught his breath, the relief took over his system and his nerves coaxed him into laughter once more.

Vivi gave him a look of concern, hoping she didn’t go too far this time. “Are you alright, Arthur?” 

Arthur gave a deep chuckle as if he was coughing it out, and he rolled his head back, showing a dopey smile. He gave her a thumbs up and said, simply, “S’all good.”

“Thank goodness!” she replied. Vivi turned, rolling on her backside and reaching towards where they kept the clutter. “Maybe we should put on something on the laptop we can watch. How do some episodes of _Project: Uncovered Phenomena_ sound?” she asked Arthur as she slid the thin computer out from under some books.

“Yeah, okay,” Arthur said, looking forward to some brevity within all the madness of the previous minutes. After a few minutes of setting up the internet connection, she set up the video on full screen, placed the laptop down and pressed play. 

While a man on the screen talked and outlined the information of the following episode, Vivi fiddled with the volume until she and Arthur could hear it quite clearly even when sitting back. The man started to explain about a rumoured ghost ship that could be found on the east coast, circling a small beachside town at night. The theme song then started up underneath as the opening credits rolled.

“Pfft,” Vivi said dismissively over the sound of the laptop. “We found that thing two months ago. Was barely even that scary. I bet it’ll be exaggerated for the show,” she mumbled, taking another hit of the vaporizer.

“Heh, yeah,” Arthur responded, sounding more confident than he meant to. He remembered the ghost ship. At the time it gave him shivers running every which way across his spine, but in his memory, it seemed far more tame. He was sure that if it somehow floated across several states and popped up in front of him, he would be too stoned to recognise the threat. He may end up being more brave with no stress holding him back, if he was to believe his condition correctly.

The two of them shared the vaporizer back and forth for a few hits until Arthur set it aside to rest. At this point, they were five episodes into the season. Arthur had spaced out quite a bit, but from what he could tell, the episode was now about the men exploring an abandoned penitentiary from centuries ago. Both Arthur and Vivi had reclined quite a bit, their arms stretched out as they let the pot fog their brains. The closeness between the two of them was quite palpable, and as Arthur grew to recognise it, he wondered how much closer they could really get.

Arthur snapped out of his trance for a moment as his mouth salivated, longing for something. Anything would do. When _did_ they eat last? He knows they had a rather late lunch, so he couldn’t have possibly needed more now, unless… 

“Vi?”

“Yeah?” Vivi sat up and paused the episode playing on the laptop.

“I’m like… really hungry. More than ever in my life. I think. Is that just me?” Arthur gave her a look, his lips pursed in a frown. He hoped that she had an answer.

Sitting up from her spot, Vivi gave Arthur a friendly shove. The sparkle returned to her eyes as she talked. “It’s not just you. I could demolish a supreme pizza. Or even a whole bucket of chicken. Or maybe all the sushi off the menu! Or, remember that one time we stopped in at that diner and they had that huuuuuge sundae with cherries and bananas and nuts and-“

“Please stop talking,” Arthur whined, trying to reach for her mouth to silence it so that she would no longer taunt him with gourmet dreams. “I guess we’ll just lie here and starve.”

“Not exactly.” Vivi dug into her belongings and pulled out her phone. However, before she typed in any message, she opened the camera application and tried to aim it towards the both of them. Confused, Arthur shuffled in close, wondering just what she had planned.

“Try and look as pathetic as possible,” Vivi advised. Arthur still had no idea what she wanted or what this was for, but he nodded and lowered his head a bit, giving a pout. Vivi turned her head so she was looking up at the camera, and her expression turned to abject sadness. Whatever she was doing, she was way too good at it. 

Vivi snapped the shoddy selfie. “There,” she said after a brief inspection of the photo to see whether or not it matched her standards. Then it was a quick trip to the message application where she attached the pitiful picture and a quickly typed text, addressed to Lewis.

_hey hun! arthur and i are perishing as we speak. we need you to order from every food place in your immediate vicinity and return with all the goods. lots of kisses! xxxx_

The whoosh from the phone told them that the text was sent, and Vivi placed her phone back down, looking over towards the laptop. “Okay, now that that’s sorted, let’s get back to watching some more uncovered phenomena and hope they don’t make us crave something before we get to eat.” Starting the episode back up again, she set it back up while Arthur wrapped his arms around himself. 

The two of them had kept silent while the episodes played, save for Vivi quoting a meme or two and pointing out one or two familiar sights. Arthur responded to each little quip with a chuckle, and as he shuffled backwards just a little, he closed his eyes. The world around him felt so strange. Sounds outside of the van were being picked up by his ears, mixing with the audio from the laptop. His spatial reasoning was askew, and he felt like whatever he could feel was much further away than he first assumed. Any movements in his arms and legs happened at a slow speed, stuttering with each slight movement. 

From outside, the scent in the air changed, slowly wafting into the van. Arthur’s nostrils picked up the change, and he could not stop his mouth from salivating. There was something hot in the air, like hot food. The more he sniffed, the more he picked up, including a heavy scent of bliss. The essence of meat mingled with what smelled like warm starch filled food, and spices added hints to the aroma.

After hearing the sound of the back door opening up, Arthur heard a voice say: “Your food delivery is here, ma’am.” The voice spoke with a smile, and Arthur thought about how this may have been the first time he could _hear_ a smile. More importantly, that voice was Lewis. It had to be. As his eyes shot open, he was greeted with a confirmation of his suspicions, and a rush of emotions came to him.

“That’ll be $142.20, thank you very much,” Lewis continued, to which Vivi responded with “Alright alright, you big baby,” and a chortle.

Lewis started setting boxes and tubs all along the back, their smells mixing in the air as the lids were opened. There were at least ten boxes of burgers, along with a large platter of chili cheese fries. There were two large pizzas: one spicy pizza and one seafood pizza, along with some garlic bread. There were tubs of chow mein, dumplings, honey chicken, king prawns with sauce, and a large box of fried rice. There were boxes of enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas and a big box of nachos. As Lewis placed down a few tubs of ice cream on the far end of the van, Arthur’s eyes took in the spread and his stoned mind was already feasting.

Vivi reached for the box of chow mein and some chopsticks to slurp the noodles down, while Arthur grabbed for a burger with the lot and a handful of chili cheese fries. He took some of the fries first, and chewed them. The potatoes used were fluffy on the inside and still crisp on the outside, though admittedly a little weighed down by the chili and cheese combo. The potatoes turned to mash in his mouth, and the spices in the chili perfectly accented the taste to his hyper aware taste buds. Audibly, he let out a moan after the mouthful slid down his gullet. This was what he wanted.

Then he got a terrible idea. He took the top bun off of the burger, and on top of the lettuce, Arthur slapped a huge handful of fries. 

“Hey, Vivi, check it out,” Arthur mumbled, pointing to the abomination. “I’m gonna eat this chili cheese fries burger,” he said with a giggle and a snort. Vivi had a mouthful of noodles, but she watched him as he took a huge bite out of the burger. The mouthful was a huge mess of textures, and the beef of the burger mixed with the beef of the chili until everything in his mouth tasted like spices and sauce. The cheeses made it harder to chew and swallow, but with effort, he got it all down. Once he was done, he gasped for air.

“Heh.” Arthur gave Vivi his final verdict: a thumbs up. “It’s great,” he said, preparing to eat more of the burger. Lewis took a slice of the spice covered pizza and he took a bite while both of his stoned friends were going to town on the smorgasbord. He had never really seen Arthur like this before. While he had seen him at ease, there was still an air of control over his image, as if he was acting a certain way. Now he was loose in every sense, and he had to admit, it was amusing to see.

“Have you been having a good time, Arthur?” Lewis asked after he finished the slice of pizza. Arthur looked up, having moved on from the burger combination to some fried rice. He had a fork in his hand with rice balanced on it, so he put it in his mouth, swallowed it down and reached for the vaporizer which somehow ended up near his left hip. 

“I- I have been having a _great_ time,” came Arthur’s reply in a voice that sounded different. He wasn’t shouting by any means, but it did sound like his voice was at least a little louder. The tone of his voice was different too, as if any edges were taken out of his voice and he was left with a dull sounding inflection. The vaporizer sat in his hands, and he waved it back and forth as he spoke. “Y-yeah, Vivi and I have been having a hell of a time. She showed me how to shot-gun this stuff too! It was some real fuckin’ shit, man.” Arthur settled down back into his seat, trying to forget what he said and instead turning his attention to the rice.

Lewis blinked a bit and turned to Vivi, his look being more confusion than any sense of anger. “Vivi, is this true?” he asked her, his tone tinged with curiosity.

Vivi gave Arthur a grin, to which he responded by shrinking from her smile. “Yeah! Got a problem with that?” she said, leaning forward as if to tease her boyfriend just a little. 

Arthur’s eyes shot up at this. Every bit of Arthur was focused on Lewis and his reaction. If he was more sober, he would be kicking himself. But here he was, high as a kite, admitting to kissing his girlfriend under the thin veneer of sharing smoke. His body tightened, and the food he was enjoying seemed to disappear from his thoughts as all he could think of was what his dear friend would say.

Lewis rolled his shoulders back and settled down. He responded, “Not at all. If you’re gonna teach anyone how to do it, I’m glad it’s Arthur.” His eyes softened as he glanced over at the skinny blonde whose expression melted from tightness to dumbstruck. _Fuck, he’s so pretty._ Arthur felt hungry all over again, even though he had quite a bit of the rice as well as a smattering of other dishes. With his face going red (though whether it was from the weed or embarrassment was anyone’s guess) he filled his mouth with the flavourful pork dumplings that exploded with taste and texture in his mouth.

The conversation continued among all three of them in a light and jovial manner. When Arthur wasn’t talking, he was cramming his maw with whatever he could reach. Vivi alternated between messily choking down her dinner and handing leftovers to the front seats for Mystery to clean up. Lewis would take moments between bites to admire his beautiful girlfriend, and sometimes he would glance over towards Arthur when he was sure the other was looking. A dopey lovestruck smile crossed his face, and the mechanic pondered the significance of any of this while feeding on nachos and guacamole.

The evening went on until the last beams of the sun retreated completely and gave way to night, and the two inebriated fiends set down their utensils. The amount of food Arthur ate was frankly disgusting; he almost gave Vivi and Mystery some competition. And yet, he felt perfectly fine. He could only really feel how packed his stomach actually was if he was pressing down on it.

Outside of his little bubble, he could hear Lewis and Vivi making conversation over the riveting topic of waste disposal. While Vivi was stretching her legs out and handing empty boxes over, Lewis had an outstretched plastic bag which was filling fast with leftover garbage. The fact that they could fill a large garbage bag and still need another said many things about the appetites of the stoned.

“We’ll probably have to find a dumpster nearby,” the mauve-haired man said with a bit of worry in his voice. “I just hope we don’t get yelled at like last time.”

“Fff- yeah. That old lady yelling at us because we just had to throw something in _her_ office dumpster. God damn. It’s not just yours, lady,” chuckled Vivi, wiping spittle and sauce from her mouth. While they talked, Arthur reached for the boxes and tubs around him and slipped them into the plastic bag. Once it was completely filled, Lewis tied the bag up and tossed it to the back, ready to repeat the process.

Once two plastic bags were completely filled, Lewis pulled out the tubs of ice cream he was saving: one for each person, plus Mystery. Vivi picked up a tub of cherry ice cream and unceremoniously tossed it over the seats while Lewis took the tub of rocky road to enjoy for himself. Arthur was unsure for a moment as his eyes scanned over the tubs before glazing over.

“You’re not gonna have some?” Lewis asked after seeing that he did not reach for the dessert straight away.

“Come on,” Vivi said, trying to egg him on as she handled her tub of mint chocolate ice cream. “It’ll melt into the cracks.” 

Arthur shrugged. Despite all of the tastes his tongue had that night, and despite the absolute volume he had consumed, he didn’t feel incapacitated or like he was going to die. And after everything else he ate, a sweet treat would complement it all perfectly. After he shuffled his laden form over, he took the tub of banana and peanut butter ice cream and flipped open the lid. Vivi and Lewis were talking among one another, enjoying their ice cream tubs, and Arthur responded in kind by spooning some of the frozen treat out of the tub and into his mouth.

The whipped confection melted into milk in his mouth, and among the crumbs of peanuts and the familiar nutty taste, the hints of banana cut through it and gave a hit of sweetness that he wanted from a good ice cream. When it slid down his throat, Arthur gave a sigh, his taste buds rejuvenated by the cold and the sweet. After only one bite, it seemed like he would have no trouble getting all of this down.

After a few bites, he felt a tickle in his belly unrelated to anything he ate. Lewis had moved in closer to the two of them, and the three of them were huddled closer together. There was something palpable about the closeness of people sitting just a shoulder’s width away, and his mouth grew hot against the chill of the frozen dairy.

As Vivi reached her spoon into Lewis’ tub and snuck a bite before he could scold her, his mind raced back to the shot-gunning the two of them did. Lewis had no problem with this, so neither did Arthur. Thinking more and more about it, he wondered if, just maybe, his other good friend would be open to the idea. His fingers ran over the vaporizer again, his mind running with thought. He took the device into his hands and switched it back on, his eyes down as he watched it light up.

Some time must have gone by, because Lewis caught his attention with, “Arthur, are you not hungry anymore?” He shot up and took a quick glance at the tub of banana and peanut butter ice cream which had just started to melt around the edges. 

“Possibly,” Vivi piped up. “Y’know, if he doesn’t want it, I’ll take it,” she started, talking as if he was not even there. Just before she could reach her spoon into the tub, Arthur pulled it towards him defensively.

“N- No, it’s not that,” Arthur responded, spinning the vaporizer in his fingers. “J-just…” He sunk his head down into his vest and bit down on his lip. Great, now his brain is making it weird. The more he flipped the vaporizer from hand to hand, the more he tried to distance himself from it all. But it wasn’t helping. Vivi and Lewis were very insistent indeed, and if Vivi were to interrogate him, it was doubtless that he would survive. And besides, if she was fine with it, nothing would be lost by just asking Lewis if he was interested. 

“I figured, since you’ve been out all afternoon, and uh, Vivi and I have just been hanging back here not really doing much of anything, I was wondering if you wanted me to give you a hit.” Arthur ran fast through his words, each one getting tangled into an incomprehensible rat’s king. Lewis caught something that he was trying to say, and he was about to refuse Arthur’s request until he noticed Vivi’s expression, like she was trying to hold a big secret in. She leaned in towards Arthur’s side, bringing her finger guns out in his direction.

“I think Arthur wants to try shot-gunning you too,” Vivi slyly remarked, pointing at him over and over again until he pushed her hands away with the reddest face.

“V-Vivi! Don’t say it like that!” he cried, covering his face as soon as she was done mercilessly teasing him in his cowardice. While his eyes were covered, Lewis’ buttery chuckle hit his eardrums, and he felt the calm return to his body. Snatching the vaporizer again, Arthur sat with his wrists resting on his knees as he waited for Lewis to say something.

“Hmm. Why not?” Lewis’ posture eased, and he rolled over on his right hip to lean closer in Arthur’s direction. “Like you said, it’s been a long day,” he continued, resting his hand on the ground with fingers outstretched. This man was completely at ease, and here this stuttery little mechanic was, trying to hide in on himself. But it was clear, he could not shy away from this any longer. It was what he wanted ever since he tried it on Vivi, and he was going to get it.

After a cursory check of the device, Arthur rolled forward onto his knees and leaned up. Already, he was in a funky position, and with his coordination still out of whack, he was finding it hard to keep steady. He exclaimed and tried to move his legs to keep himself upright, but it failed, and he started to droop forward. Then came a sensation on his right shoulder, stopping him from falling further. 

He did not need to see any further. Lewis’ hand was on his shoulder.

Arthur’s heart fluttered.

Unsure of where to put his hands, Arthur put his left hand on Lewis’ right shoulder, and kept his right hand holding on the vaporizer. Lewis rubbed his thumb around and ran it along Arthur’s shoulder bones. Hearts popped in his eyes, and he was starstruck to the point where he had trouble thinking about how to even do what he needed to do. Swinging his arms around the neck of his friend, Arthur leaned into Lewis just so, feeling his lower half being held in place. 

“Alright. You’re gonna- you’re gonna like this,” Arthur mumbled, moving his mouth towards the vaporizer which he held from his arm draped around Lewis’ neck. As he leaned in, he could feel their bodies press just for the moment, and the contact threatened to steal his breath away. Before it could though, he sighed and exhaled the air in his lungs so he was ready to take in an intoxicating breath. The mouthpiece felt warm to his lips, and he concentrated on the smoke filling his mouth while ignoring everything else.

Once his system was filled with a sufficient supply of smoke, Arthur sat back up and turned to his friend. There was a brief second where his eyes met Lewis’ own eyes. What was it about his eyes that stood out? They just brimmed with the kindness and love he had for his friends, and yet there was a hidden strength below the surface. Something was in his eyes that could stand up to anyone threatening those he held close to him. Something was in his eyes that could get the upper hand on the teasing. There was a sly edge to Lewis’ kindness, and the fact that Arthur could see it in his eyes chilled him to his core.

But time was running out. In a panic, Arthur pressed his and Lewis’ lips together. Both of them opened their mouths in unison, and the smoke drifted to fill the combined space. The two of them moved in closer to one another, practically embracing one another. As Arthur’s mouth moved slightly, he could feel the strength of Lewis’ lips on his own. Unlike Vivi, there was a slight coarseness and dryness to his lips. And where he could taste lip gloss before, Arthur could taste the sweet chocolate hit of the rocky road ice cream. He did end up sampling some other ice cream flavours after all.

Before he could lose himself too much, Arthur blew gently but affirmatively, pushing the smoke down Lewis’ windpipe. The earthiness left his mouth, leaving the hollow space he knew too well. While his burly friend inhaled, his lips closed down, but he did not pull away. The two men left no space, no safe retreat. Two pairs of lips hummed and vibrated, all coarse and strong. The sense of touch, sight, sound, taste, smell, everything, pushed closer towards the mouths, and they would not leave soon. 

In urgency, Lewis’ mouth opened, prompting Arthur to return in kind. The mechanic’s dizzy brain, swimming from the hypoxia, registered a breeze coming into his own open lips. The smoke was being sent down the second windpipe, hoping to reach another pair of filling lungs on its journey. Wisps of smoke were floating from between the admittedly shoddy seal of lips, obscuring vision for just a moment - or it would if either Lewis or Arthur had open eyes. Playing with his needs for a fresh breath of air, Arthur wanted to stay locked together forever, perpetually sharing the same smoke.

“Mmmph-” Arthur’s voice came through, and his arms tensed around Lewis’ neck. In alarm, Lewis pulled away, rudely interrupting the shared embrace. Once he had pulled away, Arthur’s brain registered just what was happening to his system. With hands on his knees, he made three loud hacking coughs, getting all carbon dioxide and smoke and whatever else out into the open. Lewis panicked first, giving Arthur pats on the back that seemed more like slaps. 

“Arthur, are you okay? My God, I’m so sorry,” Lewis said, his voice still in panic mode. His mind barked at him, making him feel personally responsible for not pulling away.

On hands and knees, Arthur coughed up a bit of spit, though thankfully not stained with blood. The smoke and expelled air left its scratches on his throat, and it burned like hell. His chest ballooned in and out, hoping for some cooling air to soothe the pain made from pure idiocy. It took a few deep breaths, but Arthur was back and functioning again, sitting back on his feet.

“Don’t worry about it. I got the smart idea to stay locked there in the first place,” he grumbled, his voice hoarse with several regrets. Vivi shuffled over just a little, placing a hand on Arthur’s back as she felt how warm his shoulder blade actually was. The heat was running all over his body, warm from more than just smoking and sharing smoke.

“As long as you aren’t dying, I’m pleased.” Vivi spoke kindly, pressing down on his back as she rubbed it tenderly. Lewis responded in kind and took Arthur’s trembling hand. _Oh… Oh my God._ Arthur wanted to hide his beet red face from his two friends that were clearly _fawning_ over him. If he was more out of it than he was now, he would want to choke in a particularly moronic fashion again and have them take his hands and rub his back. But deep down, part of him hoped, and even knew on some level, that it would never have to come to that. Both Lewis and Vivi would have his back and take his hands, no matter what he did. There was something about being reassured of your place in this world, and your place among friends. He was getting an answer to his fears about not belonging here. And the answer was _yes, you do belong_. And _yes, they both love you very much_.

Vivi ruffled Arthur’s hair, getting a giggle out of the flustered friend. “Stoooop~” he moaned, waving his hand at her ineffectually. Now that the levity among them had returned, she giggled at both her boyfriend and her close friend, still in contact with each other and sharing a stare too deep for her to even register. It amused her to know that something could happen here, after all.

“That was smooth, Arthur! You were more into making out with my boyfriend than you were into sharing smoke with me!” she called, possibly loud enough to get the fool parked next door to the van to start asking questions. This broke the concentration of both of them, and Lewis’ hand shot back and scratched the back of his neck while Arthur’s crimson visage glowed from behind his arms. Silence fell between the two of them, and Vivi’s laughter was heard bouncing off of each wall. While Lewis eased up upon seeing how much this tickled her sense of humour, Arthur felt every feeling within him shrivel up, turn rotten, and die. 

The sweat on his hands turned cold, and in resignation, Arthur picked up the vaporizer which he had dropped in the panic of choking on smog. The good feelings of the afternoon were still tangling and dancing with his brain, but something felt wrong about all of this. Maybe if he let Vivi puff on her own while he sat in the front and did whatever she needed him to do, it could have been different. Breaking down long formed barriers was a destructive task. Several bricks were knocked down, leaving empty space and not knowing what was on the other side. 

After all the excess rosiness from his cheeks faded, Arthur faced Lewis and Vivi again in time to see them nuzzle each other lovingly and tenderly. At least they managed to get over a major indiscretion that he caused without need to scold him for it. His eyes darted from the still open back door which had the now crisp air of night float in over to the front seats. At this point in time, he certainly lacked the dexterity needed to hop over the middle, but leaving out the back could cause them more strife if they went to look for him. All thoughts emptied from his head, leaving him with a large block of shame weighing between the pressure point in his spine.

Vivi perked up after Lewis gave her a cheek kiss, and she gave a glance at Arthur’s glum expression. She tried to muster a smile in an act of encouragement to get him to smile with her. When that failed to work, she gave her boyfriend a hasty look, worry crossing her eyes and her hand tapping on his chest. Without words, she told him what to do, and waited for an affirmative sign. He laced the fingers on his left hand through the fingers on her right hand, effectively creating a barrier behind them.

Then, with opposite hands, they reached out and took Arthur’s shoulders, one in each hand.

This got him to smile. 

Against his better judgement, Arthur _launched_ into their awaiting arms. Lewis and Vivi caught him with the barrier they made, and each arm wrapped around his shoulders more to keep him sandwiched between them. 

“Ha! Now there’s no escape!” Vivi teased, burrowing her head into Arthur’s shoulder while Lewis rested one arm around each of his loved ones. Even with his heartbeat racing and thrumming in his ears, Arthur felt the calm rhythm from who was surrounding him bring his heartbeat down to their level. It was a sense of calm that needed no high, but he would be lying to himself if the inebriation hindered his ability to enjoy the embrace from all angles. The insides of his chest rumbled, and he became quiet. Breathing in and out, all three of them felt a calm wave wash over them in sync with the timing of their exhalation and inhalation. 

Arthur’s body dropped forward. It had stayed up for so long, and his jelly bones were betraying his wishes to stay upright. The dead weight of his body leaned against Lewis and Vivi’s back arms, and the two of them had no time to completely register the forward motion. Grace had no place in their motion, and the bundle of three toppled over, falling down with a soft thud. Lewis bore the brunt of the fall, which thankfully was just a thud of his arm. His form still held Vivi and Arthur close, and when he rolled onto his back, they were both situated on top of his figure, staring into his eyes.

Then they all broke into laughs. That earnest belly laugh filled the space of the van. Arthur wiped tears from his eyes which had reduced in redness since earlier. Vivi slapped her hand to the ground, trying not to catch her boyfriend in her knocks. Lewis’ chest shook with laughter which made his cherished friends on top of him bounce with each chortle. It ended with Arthur and Vivi rolling off of his chest, giving their lover some space to breathe.

When Vivi got her breath back, she sat up and reached for the vaporizer which had gotten lost in the whole debacle. “Well that’s probably enough excitement for tonight,” she concluded as the boys remained in their positions with Lewis’ arm still hanging around Arthur’s waist. “How about we just wind down and put on something relaxing?”

“I’m down for that,” Arthur replied, not moving from his spot.

“That sounds amazing, Vi,” Lewis added, rolling over just a little. While Vivi scrounged around for the laptop and the rest of her supplies, Lewis adjusted Arthur’s position against his own body. One hand reached to his new lover’s midsection and pulled him back until the barrel chest of Lewis met with the sweaty back of Arthur. Curling in just a bit, Lewis hummed into Arthur’s hair while one of his hands moved up his top arm. This got a satisfied shiver from the smaller man whose cold and sweaty skin prickled up from the tactile sensation.

“Hope you don’t mind a third spoon,” said Vivi, ready with the laptop as she settled down in front of Arthur and lay down without giving him any chance to respond. Her body pressed against his front now, and the curves of her body locked into place with the strange shapes of his body. Lewis moved his top arm to reach around them both and pull them in closer to him, with his hand resting on Vivi’s hip. Arthur was well and truly enveloped in them both, and his mind sounded all of the alarms to the point where he couldn’t even move his hands, clammy as they were.

On the laptop, calming theme music played as a man with a large hairdo came out to stand in front of an easel. “Hello, and once again, welcome to _The Bliss of Brushes_ , where we will show you how easy it is to just let your mind run free and paint what you see,” the man said in a melodic baritone that calmed everyone to the point where their spines rolled back among one another. 

“Can you see, Arthur?” Vivi quietly whispered to the medium spoon behind her. 

“Absolutely,” he responded. Arthur could not care less: this starstruck boy, dumb with love, was spooning (and being spooned by) the two most important people to him in the world. Lewis, with arms resting on his sides, kept him tightly pinned in the crooks of his elbows. The melody of his humming breath sauntered into Arthur’s ears, sweet and thick as treacle. Vivi, held close by the man resting behind him, had calmed down and fell into a complete state of serenity. Her hair tickled Arthur’s nose, and he could smell the lingering scent of marijuana still clinging to the strands of her hair. That earthy smell made him feel at one in between those he loved so much.

Had Vivi not shared the herb with him, he never would have had the courage to give her a kiss full of smoke and grass, he would not be more at ease than a laugh and a joke would ever bring him, and he never would have embraced Lewis with a mouth full of a heady exhaustion that stole his breath away. There was so much to thank her for: for her unwavering support, for her open encouragement, and for just being herself. He could thank the pot for giving him the closeness that his heart so desired, but it only pulled out what he tried to hide for so long. It was all him that brought Lewis and Vivi to embrace him so tenderly.

He did have a place among the Mystery Skulls.


End file.
